This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacture and, more particularly, to an etch useful for removing silicon nitride selective to silicon and silicon dioxide.
During the manufacture of semiconductor devices such as a memory devices, logic devices, and microprocessors, various processes are commonly performed. Etching silicon nitride selective to silicon (such as polysilicon) and to silicon dioxide with various etch ratios is often required. For example, hot phosphoric acid isotropically etches silicon nitride selective to silicon dioxide and silicon. Other processes for etching Si3N4 selective to SiO2 and Si are discussed in xe2x80x9cHighly Selective Etching of Silicon Nitride Over Silicon and Silicon Dioxide,xe2x80x9d J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 17(6), November/December 1999, which describes the use of oxygen (O2) and nitrogen (N2) in combination with CF4 or NF3. The processes discussed achieve Si3N4 to Si and to SiO2 etch rate ratios of up to 100 and 70 respectively using nitrogen trifluoride. The processes uses high flow rates of 800 standard cubic centimeters (sccm) O2 and 110 sccm N2 for most experiments. Further, using carbon tetrafluoride, a Si3N4 to polysilicon etch ratio of 40 was achieved while SiO2 was not etched at all. Etch rates of silicon nitride are below about 50 angstroms (xc3x85) per minute.
As semiconductor manufacture typically requires high volume processing to lower costs, any decrease in temporal processing requirements can result in a large increase in product throughput. Further, having options available to accomplish a task such as etching silicon nitride is advantageous, as one process may function better for certain manufacturing flows. Additional methods for etching silicon nitride selective to silicon and silicon nitride at an accelerated rate would be desirable.
The present invention provides a new etch method that, among other advantages, reduces problems associated with the manufacture of semiconductor devices, particularly problems in etching silicon nitride selective to silicon and silicon dioxide. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention a semiconductor wafer substrate assembly having a layer of silicon nitride and a layer of at least one of silicon and silicon dioxide is placed into an etch chamber. Oxygen and either CHF3 or CH2F2 are introduced into an etch chamber under controlled flow rates, power, and pressure. At the parameters detailed herein, the etch removes silicon nitride selective to silicon dioxide and silicon.
Additional advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description read in conjunction with the appended claims and the drawings attached hereto.